Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies: everything new pet parents should know

Rhodesian Ridgebacks: ex lion startlers and sidekicks to big game hunters of the late 19th century. Despite their sad yet somewhat unbelievable beginnings, the African Ridgeback has become the much-loved companion of many an outdoorsy household. Thriving on hikes, swimming, agility and tracking, African lion hounds are affectionate, independent and protective of their pack. If you’re thinking about welcoming Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies into your life, find (almost) everything you need to know below.

Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy facts

Size: While Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies might have the dumpy charm of pre-adult pooches that we all know and love, their adult counterparts are pretty sizeable dogs. Female Ridgebacks grow up to 26 inches tall and weigh up to 70 pounds, while males aren’t far ahead, growing up to 27 inches tall and weighing up to 85 pounds. 

Character: Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies will grow to become even-tempered, affectionate yet independent pooches. They make for ideal watchdogs as these cuties are seriously protective of their pack, just watch out for that strong prey drive!

Grooming: Their coat is short and glossy and it needs minimal grooming - ideal if you’re not one for daily brushing! These cuties will only need to be brushed around once a week, and while they malt just like any other short-haired breed, they’re pretty low-odor dogs with low chances of collecting dirt in their fur. And as many well-seasoned pet parents will know, be sure to clip their nails if they don’t wear down naturally, and check their ears for build-up.

Health needs: Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies, like their adult counterparts, are generally healthy dogs, but are prone to a few health problems (like any other pooch). For more info on their health needs, take a scroll below. 

Training: Your Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy is very trainable, but it’s no doubt they’ll try to test the boundaries of your rules! The solution? Decide on your house rules and the training regime they’ll be following before welcoming your new cutie home, and stick to it.

Energy levels: Rhodesian Ridgebacks are seriously athletic dogs, so will need daily exercise to stay happy and healthy. Like with any dog in their puppy years, it’s important to build up to exercise, starting light and extending their time out and about as they get older.

Intelligence: These cuties are highly intelligent! Scroll down to find out about their history, and it’ll all make sense.

Noise levels: If you’re concerned about welcoming a pooch that’s going to bark your house down, Rhodesian Ridgebacks are your dog. These athletic cuties are on the quiet side, so noise shouldn’t be a concern.

Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy appearance

Ridgeback dogs are best known for the ‘ridge’ that grows down their backs. It’s a strip of hair that grows backwards, creating a long line of slightly darker looking fur. It’s their ultimate trademark, along with their wheaten-colored fur. It’s a warm, amber color that’s considered red, light or plain wheaten. Their coats are short and glossy, which makes sense if we think about their history. Bred to withstand the heat of South Africa, these cuties need only a short coat of thin fur to avoid overheating. While Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies have the typical dumpy stature that we all love in pre-adult pups, their adult counterparts grow into athletic, striking hounds - it’s clear that these cuties were bred to run, and run fast! Moving upwards to those adorable faces, Rhodesian Ridgebacks have dark or amber eyes that hold an intelligent, thoughtful expression. Darker-eyed Ridgebacks tend to have black noses, while amber-eyed Ridgebacks will have a brown nose (otherwise known as liver, in the canine world!).

Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy personality

Like with any puppy, Rhodesian Ridgebacks tend to be more excitable in their earlier years, mellowing out into even-tempered, affectionate adult dogs. They’re highly protective and love their pack, so make for ideal watchdogs for families with children. Throughout their history before being welcomed into the home as popular family dogs, Ridgebacks were relied upon for their independence and prey drive (stopping for advice while chasing a lion simply wasn’t an option, funnily enough!). So, while they’re not shy of showing love to their pack members, Ridgebacks (young and old) can be slightly on the stubborn side. To combat their strong-willed nature and make the most of their trainability, new pet parents will need to have the strength not to give in to those puppy dog eyes when they attempt to bend the rules. Most importantly, show your pooch who runs the household by enforcing your rules through positive reinforcement-based training. And if you’ve ever walked a Ridgeback dog, you might have noticed their strong prey drive - something to consider if you’ve got other small pets at home!

Looking after Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies

Exercise needs

Ridgeback dogs have bags of energy to burn, so will do well with a family who are equally as active. When first welcoming your Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies (or puppy!) home, it’s important not to take the advice we’re giving about adult dogs. Like with all of our four-legged friends, Ridgeback puppies will need to be gently eased into daily exercise, building up the length and difficulty as they grow. Adult Rhodesian Ridgebacks will need up to two hours of exercise per day, thriving on hikes and swims, along with tracking and agility. The perfect pooch if you live out of the city or have the wilderness on your doorstep!

Grooming

Ridgebacks have a short, glossy coat, so you’ll be pleased to know that you’ll never have to take them to the groomer’s for a trim. All these short-haired cuties need is a weekly brush, nail trimming and ear checks, like any other pooch.

Training 

Rhodesian Ridgebacks are clever dogs, so they’re highly trainable and thrive off learning new canine sports (which makes sense, if we think about those activity levels!). But while on one hand they’re intelligent enough to be easily trained, Ridgebacks are pretty independent pups, so will need pet parents with the time and patience to train consistently.

What sort of home is suited to Rhodesian Ridgebacks? 

As you’ll know by now, Ridgebacks are seriously active pups, so will need a home to reflect that. Along with a family willing to come out for walkies each day come rain or shine, they’ll do best in a home with a sizable back yard with space for fetch and bonding with their favorite two-legged friends. Talking of their preferred pack, despite their strong prey drive, Rhodesian Ridgebacks get on well with children, so will fit in perfectly with families who have little ones running around. Just make sure your children are big enough to hold their own, as an excitable (yet well-meaning) Ridgeback pup could easily knock a small child over.

One thing all prospective pet parents of a Rhodesian Ridgeback should be warned about is their strong prey drive. Firstly, if you’ve got other small pets at home, it’s probably not a good idea to welcome a Ridgeback home. Unfortunately, hunting has been hardwired into these often gentle cuties, so consider whether your household is suitable before welcoming a new furry friend home. Second, their prey drive means you’ll need to have a sturdy, full coverage fence in your yard - if your hunting hound spots something they like the look of, they’ll go after it (whether it’s in your garden or not!). And lastly, walkies off leash (especially in their puppy years) is out of the question. As we’ve said, if your pup spots something they fancy chasing, they’ll chase it (whether it’s across the street or not).

Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy health needs

Before adopting your Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy into your home, make sure they’ve had all their vaccinations and health checks. In the years following, Ridgebacks are known for being generally healthy dogs, but are prone to a few health problems (like many other dog breeds). According to the American Kennel Club, these include heart problems, hypothyroidism, bloat, hip and elbow dysplasia, and eye anomalies. The official breed club recommends a hip and elbow evaluation due to the possibility of dysplasia.

Rhodesian Ridgeback history

In the late 1800s, a big game hunter from Rhodesia, named Cornelius van Rooyen added two ridge-backed Greyhound-like females into his pack of lion dogs. His aim for the dogs was for them to work alongside his pack to confront and startle the lions he was hunting, and it turned out that the ridge-backed Greyhound-like dogs were seriously successful at it, alongside warding off other predators from Cornelius and the rest of the pack. It was from these dogs that today’s known and loved African Ridgeback dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, descended. Their mix included crosses between the African ridged Khoikhoi dog and other European breeds brought over by Dutch colonists, including Greyhounds and various Terrier dogs. By 1922, big game hunting had started to fade in South Africa, and as a result, Ridgebacks were on the brink of extinction. It was then that the breed standard for the Rhodesian Ridgeback was agreed upon, and they’ve grown in popularity ever since.

Other types of Ridgebacks

• Phu Quoc Ridgeback
• Thai Ridgeback
• Norwegian Ridgeback (only pulling your paw)

Don’t fancy hopping off the puppy train just yet?

No worries, we’ve got lots more where that came from - get your puppy fix with this blog on Pug puppies.